The present invention relates to a soap heating system for a touchless in-bay automatic vehicle wash system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a soap heater that is mounted on an overhead gantry used to wash a vehicle positioned in a touchless in-bay automatic vehicle wash system.
In current in-bay automatic vehicle wash systems, a supply of concentrated chemical detergent is stored in a separate location from a water supply. During operation of the vehicle wash system, the water supply is heated by a heat source typically located behind a wall of a vehicle wash bay. The heated water passes through a chemical injection system at which time the chemical detergent is added to the heated water supply. Typically, the chemical injection system is also behind the wall of the wash bay.
After the chemical detergent has been injected into the hot water supply, the hot water supply including the injected chemical detergent passes through a hose up to the overhead gantry. The overhead gantry includes a spray arch manifold and top manifold for applying the heated water and chemical agents to the vehicle being washed.
A distinct drawback of the heating and detergent injection system described above is that the hot water, after the chemical has been injected, travels over a relatively long distance prior to its application to the vehicle. During the long travel time from the water heater to the vehicle, the heated water passes along an aluminum support frame for the overhead gantry which, during winter months, causes the water to lose a significant amount of heat prior to its application to a vehicle. Additionally, chemical detergent is injected at a low temperature relative to the heated supply water, such that the chemical detergent lowers the overall temperature of the hot water prior to application to the vehicle.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a soap heating system that heats the combination of the supply water and chemical detergent almost immediately prior to application of the water and detergent to the vehicle. It is a further object of the invention to provide a heating unit that heats the soap and water without the heating element contacting the water including the chemical detergent.
The present invention relates to a gantry mounted heating system for use in a touchless in-bay automatic vehicle wash system. The heating system of the present invention includes a heating unit mounted to the movable overhead gantry of the in-bay vehicle washing system. The heating unit mounted to the moving overhead gantry receives the supply of water that already includes one or more concentrated chemical detergents inserted by a chemical injection system. The received water supply including the injected detergent is heated onboard the overhead gantry prior to its application to the vehicle by the application manifolds of the vehicle wash system.
The gantry mounted heating unit of the present invention includes a series of fluid passageways extending through an aluminum extrusion. The aluminum extrusion is in contact with an electric heating element such that the heat generated by the heating element is transferred from the heating element through the aluminum extrusion to the detergent and water contained within the internal fluid passageways. In this manner, the heating element does not come into direct contact with the corrosive chemicals contained within the water being applied to the vehicle.
The heating system of the present invention inserts one or more chemical detergents into room temperature water in a pump station located remotely from the overhead gantry used to wash the vehicle. After the concentrated chemical detergent has been inserted into the water supply by the chemical injection system, the combination of the chemical detergent and water is transferred to the overhead gantry heating unit by a fluid hose. While in the heating unit, the chemical detergent and water is heated to a desired temperature prior to its application to the vehicle. Since the heating unit is positioned near the application manifolds, little heat is lost prior to the heated detergent and water being applied to the vehicle.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.